This season, the Indiana Pacers have been one of the Eastern Conference’s most noticeable risers during the first half of the season. Following two games against the Pacers earlier this season, the Philadelphia 76ers recognized the young team as one to watch as they could be on their way to a playoff run.
Unfortunately for Indiana, they may have taken a significant hit on Monday night when they faced the Eastern Conference’s top dog, the Boston Celtics. Late in the second quarter, while driving into the paint, Indiana point guard Tyrese Haliburton slipped and fell hard.
Haliburton stayed down for a while and was clearly in pain. Clearly, the guard had suffered a lower-body injury because he could not walk off the court on his own.
Shortly after leaving Monday’s game against the Celtics, Haliburton was diagnosed with a left hamstring strain. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Pacers’ star will have an MRI on his hamstring Tuesday morning.
Without Haliburton, the Pacers beat the Celtics 133-131 in a gutsy victory. When the standout guard left the game after 13 minutes, he had seven points and six assists.
Tuesday’s victory improved the Pacers’ record to 21-15. Their record is tied with the Miami Heat, New York Knicks, and Cleveland Cavaliers. Currently, the Pacers are sixth in the Eastern Conference standings.
Losing Haliburton would be a significant setback for Indiana. Once again, Haliburton is assembling an All-Star campaign. In 32 games, he averaged 24 points while making 50 percent of his field goals and 40 percent of his three-pointers.
While his scoring is comparable to most of the league’s top guards, he is the NBA’s most efficient passer, dishing out a league-high 13 assists per game while turning the ball over less than three times.
Haliburton’s timeline is currently unclear. The Pacers will have a better idea once he receives his MRI results on Tuesday morning.
The Sixers will play the Pacers on the road on January 25. Given the reaction to Haliburton’s recent injury, the Sixers could face an undermanned Indiana team at that time.
